21st Amendment Brewery - Back in Black; Hop Crisis Imperial IPA

The 21st Amendment Brewery is in San Francisco, California and is a brew pub.  However, their canned beer is now contract brewed by the Cold Spring Brewery in Cold Spring, Minnesota.

Back in Black - This is a 6.8% ABV black IPA.  The beer pours pitch black with a half inch of light brown foam that is thick, creamy and long lasting, leaving medium lacing down the glass.  The aroma is equal parts stout and IPA; there is dark roasted coffee and mocha malt, and aromatic, fruity and slightly piney hops.  In the taste, the stout aromas predominate, but it has a nicely dry and bitter finish.  The handful of black IPA's I have had to date were dominant in the IPA style, this one is more of a stout, but it is very tasty nonetheless.

Hop Crisis Imperial IPA - Part of the Insurrection series of 21st Amendment, this ale is aged on oak spirals.  A few years ago there was a severe hop shortage, and that situation inspired this hoppy beer.  This beer pours a bright and glowing orange-golden in color with a small head of white foam drifting towards off-white.  The aroma is some pine, apricot and plum, and a touch of tropical fruit.  The taste is sweet, apricot jam, tropical fruits and a dry, bitter finish with hints of pine and grapefruit peel.  There is a slight oakiness in the aftertaste, but it is not intense.  This drinks fairly easy for its 9.7% ABV. 

http://21st-amendment.com/